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Paul Henderson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Paul John Henderson is an Australia
n football (soccer)
goalkeeper who is currently playing for Sydney Olympic.
. He played in the New South Wales Premier League
for Sutherland
before signing for NSL
club Northern Spirit
until the club became defunct in 2004.
in July 2004 and had an unsuccessful trial with Blackpool
, before signing for Bradford City
in August on a one-year contract. He initially came to England for a trial at Ipswich Town and met a goalkeeper coach there, who put him in touch with an agent who brought him to Bradford.
Henderson's form later attracted the interest of Nottingham Forest, who sent scouts to assess him. However, a 4–1 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons convinced the club to think otherwise, while then-manager of Bradford Colin Todd
believed Henderson was distracted by the transfer news. Despite impressing during his time at Bradford, Henderson rejected the club's three-year contract renewal offer, instead joining Leicester City on trial on 6 May.
Henderson signed a two-year contract with Leicester City
on a free transfer in the summer of 2005. He joined fellow Australians Patrick Kisnorbo
, James Wesolowski
and then-teammate Danny Tiatto
in the squad.
Henderson was brought to Leicester as an understudy to Rab Douglas
, stating he was "willing to fight for his place" and the he felt Leicester was a club "moving in the right direction". After Douglas came under criticism for inconsistent performances, Henderson had a run of matches in the first team under new boss Rob Kelly
, making 15 appearances during the 2005–06 season
.
At the start of the 2006–07 season
, Henderson played himself into the first choice position, and despite losing his place for a short term to Conrad Logan
he soon regained his spot in the team. Despite conceding 36 goals in 28 league games, Leicester nevertheless survived relegation. With Henderson's contract close to expiring, he attracted the interest of Wigan, Aston Villa and Norwich in the January transfer window. He later allayed any fears of leaving by signing a new two-year contract with Leicester on 16 January.
With the loan signings of goalkeepers Márton Fülöp
and Ben Alnwick
, Henderson spent much of the 2007–08 season
on the substitute's bench. He managed to play a total of 14 league games, conceding 16 goals and making 5 clean sheets as Leicester were relegated at the end of the season.
In the 2008–09 season, Henderson's first team place was shared with loan signing David Martin. He started the first game of the season against Milton Keynes Dons
, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory. On 23 September 2008, he saved two shots from a penalty shootout in a Johnstone's Paint Trophy match against Lincoln
, with Leicester winning 3–1 on penalties. However, Henderson conceded two goals in the next round in a 2–0 defeat to Rotherham United
, a match which manager Nigel Pearson
described as their worst performance of the season. After a show of poor form from David Martin, Henderson was given a run in the first team in November 2008. He suffered a groin injury in February 2009, resulting in him being replaced by three Premier League goalkeepers on loan, including David Stockdale
and Tony Warner
. Nonetheless, he was presented with a medal on 24 April after Leicester had won the League One title.
On 28 April, it was reported that manager Nigel Pearson
had told Henderson he can leave the following summer alongside fellow Australian Patrick Kisnorbo
as the club begin their preparations for their Championship
campaign the following season. On 29 May, he was released at the end of his contract by Leicester alongside Marc Edworthy
, Patrick Kisnorbo, Bruno N'Gotty
and Barry Hayles
.
. His form for North Queensland's first season was mixed. Henderson played an instrumental role when the Fury defeated Gold Coast United 2–0 on 31 October 2009, after Gold Coast defeated the Fury 5–0 in their other meeting earlier in the season. The goalkeeping position went back and forth between Henderson and Justin Pasfield
throughout the season.
for the 2010–2011 A-League
season.
. His contract was later extended until the end of the season, after which Henderson returned to Sydney Olympic
on 7 October and Bahrain
the following Wednesday.
Sydney Olympic
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper who is currently playing for Sydney Olympic.
Club career
Henderson started his career in club football in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He played in the New South Wales Premier League
New South Wales Premier League
The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League...
for Sutherland
Sutherland Sharks
Sutherland Sharks Football Club is an Australian football club based in Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia and currently play in the New South Wales Premier League....
before signing for NSL
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
club Northern Spirit
Northern Spirit
This article is about the railway company Northern Spirit. For the Australian football club of the same name, see Northern Spirit FC.Northern Spirit was a UK train operating company which ran local and regional train services in the north east of England during the late 1990s.-Operations:Created...
until the club became defunct in 2004.
Bradford City
Henderson then moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in July 2004 and had an unsuccessful trial with Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, before signing for Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
in August on a one-year contract. He initially came to England for a trial at Ipswich Town and met a goalkeeper coach there, who put him in touch with an agent who brought him to Bradford.
Henderson's form later attracted the interest of Nottingham Forest, who sent scouts to assess him. However, a 4–1 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons convinced the club to think otherwise, while then-manager of Bradford Colin Todd
Colin Todd
Colin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League...
believed Henderson was distracted by the transfer news. Despite impressing during his time at Bradford, Henderson rejected the club's three-year contract renewal offer, instead joining Leicester City on trial on 6 May.
Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
on a free transfer in the summer of 2005. He joined fellow Australians Patrick Kisnorbo
Patrick Kisnorbo
Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo is an Australian football player of Mauritian and Italian heritage who plays for Leeds United in The Championship of the English Football League. Kisnorbo is also an Australian international with 18 caps to his name. Also known by his nickname Paddy...
, James Wesolowski
James Wesolowski
James Peter Wesolowski is an Australian football player who plays as a midfielder for Oldham Athletic. He plays in Europe with a Polish passport, having dual nationality...
and then-teammate Danny Tiatto
Danny Tiatto
Daniele Amadeo "Danny" Tiatto is an Australian professional football player who plays for St Albans Saints in the Victorian Premier League.-Early years:...
in the squad.
Henderson was brought to Leicester as an understudy to Rab Douglas
Robert Douglas (footballer)
Robert James "Rab" Douglas is a Scottish footballer currently playing for Dundee as a goalkeeper. He is a former Scotland international, and is known as a Motherwell F.C. supporter.-Celtic:...
, stating he was "willing to fight for his place" and the he felt Leicester was a club "moving in the right direction". After Douglas came under criticism for inconsistent performances, Henderson had a run of matches in the first team under new boss Rob Kelly
Rob Kelly
Robert Anthony "Rob" Kelly is an English former footballer and manager. Recently caretaker manager at Nottingham Forest, after Steve McClaren's departure and prior to the appointment of Steve Cotterill...
, making 15 appearances during the 2005–06 season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
.
At the start of the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
, Henderson played himself into the first choice position, and despite losing his place for a short term to Conrad Logan
Conrad Logan
Conrad Joseph Logan is an Irish football goalkeeper currently playing for Rotherham United on loan from Leicester City. He was educated at St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Co...
he soon regained his spot in the team. Despite conceding 36 goals in 28 league games, Leicester nevertheless survived relegation. With Henderson's contract close to expiring, he attracted the interest of Wigan, Aston Villa and Norwich in the January transfer window. He later allayed any fears of leaving by signing a new two-year contract with Leicester on 16 January.
With the loan signings of goalkeepers Márton Fülöp
Márton Fülöp
Márton Fülöp is a Hungarian footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a goalkeeper. After playing in Hungary for MTK Budapest FC, BKV Előre SC and BFC Siófok, he signed for English club Tottenham Hotspur....
and Ben Alnwick
Ben Alnwick
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Alnwick is an English footballer who plays for Leyton Orient on loan from Tottenham Hotspur as a goalkeeper. He has also been capped at under-16 and under-18 level for the England team.-Sunderland:...
, Henderson spent much of the 2007–08 season
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
on the substitute's bench. He managed to play a total of 14 league games, conceding 16 goals and making 5 clean sheets as Leicester were relegated at the end of the season.
In the 2008–09 season, Henderson's first team place was shared with loan signing David Martin. He started the first game of the season against Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory. On 23 September 2008, he saved two shots from a penalty shootout in a Johnstone's Paint Trophy match against Lincoln
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, with Leicester winning 3–1 on penalties. However, Henderson conceded two goals in the next round in a 2–0 defeat to Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, a match which manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
described as their worst performance of the season. After a show of poor form from David Martin, Henderson was given a run in the first team in November 2008. He suffered a groin injury in February 2009, resulting in him being replaced by three Premier League goalkeepers on loan, including David Stockdale
David Stockdale
David Adam Stockdale is an English footballer who plays for Ipswich Town as a goalkeeper, on loan from Fulham.Stockdale started his career with the Huddersfield Town youth system before joining York City's youth system in 2000, where he became a trainee in 2002. He made his first team debut on the...
and Tony Warner
Tony Warner
Anthony Randolph "Tony" Warner is a Trinidad and Tobago international football goalkeeper who currently plays for the Wellington Phoenix.-Footballing career:...
. Nonetheless, he was presented with a medal on 24 April after Leicester had won the League One title.
On 28 April, it was reported that manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
had told Henderson he can leave the following summer alongside fellow Australian Patrick Kisnorbo
Patrick Kisnorbo
Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo is an Australian football player of Mauritian and Italian heritage who plays for Leeds United in The Championship of the English Football League. Kisnorbo is also an Australian international with 18 caps to his name. Also known by his nickname Paddy...
as the club begin their preparations for their Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
campaign the following season. On 29 May, he was released at the end of his contract by Leicester alongside Marc Edworthy
Marc Edworthy
Marc Edworthy is a former English professional footballer. He started out playing as a right winger before being moved to right back...
, Patrick Kisnorbo, Bruno N'Gotty
Bruno N'Gotty
Bruno N'Gotty is a French football player of Cameroonian ancestry who last played for English club Leicester City. Initially a player at his home team Olympique Lyonnais, he later played for Paris Saint-Germain, A.C...
and Barry Hayles
Barry Hayles
Barrington Edward "Barry" Hayles is a footballer who plays for Conference South club Truro City as a striker, having previously played for Stevenage Borough, Bristol Rovers, Fulham, Sheffield United, Millwall, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City and Cheltenham Town...
.
North Queensland Fury
Henderson was signed up by Australian side North Queensland Fury after being released by Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
. His form for North Queensland's first season was mixed. Henderson played an instrumental role when the Fury defeated Gold Coast United 2–0 on 31 October 2009, after Gold Coast defeated the Fury 5–0 in their other meeting earlier in the season. The goalkeeping position went back and forth between Henderson and Justin Pasfield
Justin Pasfield
Justin Pasfield is an Australian football goalkeeper who currently plays for the Central Coast Mariners.He was part of the Joeys squad for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, and previously played for Bray Wanderers in the League of Ireland...
throughout the season.
Newcastle Jets
Henderson signed on 6 June 2010 a short term contract with the Newcastle Jets to cover for injuired Jets goalkeeper Neil YoungNeil Young (footballer born 1979)
Neil Young is a football goalkeeper who currently plays for A-League club the Newcastle United Jets. Playing the majority of his career in the Football West State League with Sorrento FC Young had trials with Crewe Alexandra, Stockport County and Bournemouth FC in England before moving to...
for the 2010–2011 A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
season.
Central Coast Mariners
On 27 August 2010 Henderson signed a six week contract with the Central Coast Mariners as a temporary replacement for the injured Jess VanstrattanJess Vanstrattan
Jess Kedwell Vanstrattan is an Australian football goalkeeper currently without a club.-Club career:Born in Gosford, New South Wales, Vanstrattan started his career for Northern Spirit in Sydney, NSW.-Verona:...
. His contract was later extended until the end of the season, after which Henderson returned to Sydney Olympic
International career
Henderson has never played at international level to date. However, he was placed on standby by an initial draft from the Australia national team on 26 September 2006 for forthcoming matches against ParaguayParaguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
on 7 October and Bahrain
Bahrain national football team
The Bahrain national football team is the national team of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is controlled by the Bahrain Football Association; it was founded in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966. They have never reached the finals of the World Cup, but have twice come within one match of doing so...
the following Wednesday.
Honours
Leicester City- League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
: 2008–09
Sydney Olympic
- NSW Premier League Minor Premiership: 2011